Summer Universiade men’s volleyball (Aug. 16): Canada improves to 3-0

SHENZHEN, China (CIS) – The Canadian men’s volleyball team continues to be the class of the tournament following a straight-set win over Norway to improve to 3-0 in Pool A at the 26th Summer Universiade.

STATISTICS: CAN vs. NOR 
 
Canada has now officially qualified for the quarter-finals, but still has to play Australia on Wednesday at 8 p.m. local time (8 a.m. ET) to close out the opening round.
 
Head coach Larry McKay’s group needed only an hour and six minutes to dispatch the Norwegians (1-2), winning the first set 25-20, before wearing down Norway 25-18 in the second and dominating the third set 25-14.

Canada’s team features six all-Canadians from the past season, including reigning CIS player of the year Graham Vigrass from the University of Calgary and 2011 CIS championship MVP Rudy Verhoeff from Trinity Western.
 
Spencer Leiske from Lacombe, Alta., topped all Canadians with ten kills. Karl De Grandpré of Pierreville, Que., finished with eight kills, while Verhoeff, a Calgary native, left the court with seven kills and two aces.

Orjan Siljander paced Norway with eight kills, while no other Norwegian generated more than five kills.
 
Canada has only dropped one set over three games in the tournament and has blanked their last two opponents heading into their final pool game against the Aussies.